Monthly Archives: April 2017

Welcome back once again to the exciting world of the UAS Middle School! WOOHOO!

On Wednesday, April 26 and Thursday, April 27 we will host the second installment of our annual parent-teacher conferences. These meetings provide a golden opportunity for parents, teachers and students to gain a better understanding of how we can work together to raise the academic achievement of our most precious commodity.

While making plans for the conferences at the end of this week, I came across an excellent article to help guide parents as they make ready for this batch of “check-ups”. I have inserted some of my own thoughts along with the author, but I do hope you enjoy this articled entitled:

8 Ways to Get the Most Out of Parent-Teacher Conferences, by Lori Garcia

It’s time again for parent-teacher conferences, when home and school join forces for the betterment of our students. For some, parent-teacher conferences will be one of the few times you’ll speak with your child’s teacher, while for others this meeting marks another in a string of conversations you have already had during the current school year.

If you greet parent-conferences with a twinge of anxiety, know that you’re not alone. I’ve had years where I knew I wasn’t going to like what I was about to hear. I’ve had years where I’ve even cried a little. And this year, even with both of my kids finally on behavioral track, I’m nervous for what this week’s parent-teacher conferences will bring.

Nerves aside, it’s our job as parents to support our young learners with the help of their teachers. Let’s take a look at 8 ways we can get the most out of parent-teacher conferences to support our children.

Manage your expectations. Your parent-teacher conferences are designed to give you a general idea of your child’s academic and behavior performance. With each conference lasting 10 minutes in length, standard conferences don’t allow enough time to tackle deeper issues. If you have specific challenges and concerns you wish to discuss with your child’s teacher, use this opportunity to schedule a follow up meeting.

Be punctual. With only 10 minutes allotted per parent, your child’s teacher doesn’t have a moment to spare. Arrive on time and silence your mobile devices to give your child’s teacher the attention they deserve.

Talk to your child before, or, consider bringing your child with you to the conferences. I don’t like surprises, so I preface every parent-teacher conference with a conversation with my child. “Is there anything I need to know before meeting with your teachers, because I’d rather hear from you first.” As much as I dislike putting my kids in this awkward position, I can’t tell you how many times they’ve sheepishly admitted to behavioral wrongdoings and a poor test score or two that never made it home. Knowing these things prior to your conference will better prepare you for what your child’s teacher has to say. In addition, I strongly urge you to consider bringing your child with you to the conferences. After all, the meeting is about their learning and progress. Feel free to have these conferences be “student involved”.

Come prepared. With only 1 quarter of the school year remaining, perhaps you are still scratching your head because of a few points. For example: Is my kid supposed to bring a book every day to REGAL? How do I look at the Google Classroom? Where do I find the grade level assessment calendar? Jot down your questions so you won’t forget to ask when the teachers offer to answer any of your questions.

Listen with an open mind. Arguably the hardest part of having school-aged children is hearing your child’s teacher mention anything less than complementary about your kid. However, out of respect for your child’s teacher and their professional authority, we owe it to our students to listen with an open mind. Remember, you and your child’s teacher possess the shared vision of your student achieving their personal best.

Take notes. Hopefully, nothing your child’s teacher reports will come as shocking information, but you’re certain to learn a few things about your child’s academic progress that you didn’t know. Especially if your child is unable to attend the conferences with you, take notes to discuss the points with your child after the conferences and be sure to inform your child of the good stuff along with areas for improvement.

Show respect. It can be difficult to show respect to a teacher who has less than favorable details to report – particularly if the chemistry between child and teacher is rocky. Mutual respect between parent and teacher is vital for the success and academic development of your child. It’s as simple as this, when parents and teachers work together, students win!

Ask what you can do at home. If your child’s teacher advises that additional practice is needed, inquire about specific resources available. As an academic professional, your child’s teacher is a wealth of information who will gladly point you in the right direction.

Here’s hoping these tips will help you better prepare for your child’s annual “check-up from the neck up”. On behalf of the entire teaching staff and leadership team of the UAS Middle School, we look forward to hosting you on April 26 from 1 to 6 PM, and again on Thursday, April 27 from 8 AM to 12 PM.

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Important Dates and Activities:

April 24: Quarter 3 Celebration of Achievement @ 10 AM in the MPH. If your child is earning recognition, an invitation was sent last week.

April 26: Early dismissal @ 12 PM for students. Parent/Teacher conferences from 1 to 6 PM

April 27: Parent/Teacher conferences from 8 AM to 12 PM

May 1, 2, 3 & 4: MAP testing

May 9: MS “Fringe Festival” – 6:30 PM in the Secondary School library

May 15: MS spring band and choir concert – 6:30 PM in the MPH

Until our paths cross, please take good care, and remember, Middle School students matter!! May peace be upon you.

Hello Parents, and greetings to you from the UAS Middle School!!! WOOHOO!!

It was a real treat this past week to watch our grade 8 students participate in the Engineering Design Challenge through the science class of Mr. Adam Hall. If ever you wanted to see learning being fun, this event was an excellent example! A couple days of preliminary races led up to the big Race Day on Thursday, April 13. The level of student engagement, and what our young people produced was very impressive to behold!

The following information was shared by Mr. Hall:

“Fastest Jr. Solar Sprint Car in the World”

UAS Middle School students participated in an Engineering Design Challenge attempting to build the “Fastest Jr. Solar Sprint Car in the World” as part of the Grade 8 Science Energy Unit. Learners worked in teams to follow the Engineering Design Process and build solar model cars over the course of the last several science classes. Race Day was exciting with the “Jokers” (Michel and Isabel) taking 1st place in the competition (7.02 seconds, average speed = 2.85 m/s or 10.26 km/h), narrowly edging out “BDI” (Boudi and Dhalia) (7.32 seconds, average speed = 2.73 m/s or 9.83 km/h). Excellent job “Jokers”, “BDI” and all race teams and participants!

Solar Car Fun

SemiFinal Races

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Important Dates and Activities:

April 13: NO school for students and staff – Lailat Al Meiraj
April 24: Quarter 3 Celebration of Achievement @ 10 AM in the MPH
April 26: Early dismissal for students. Parent/Teacher conferences 1 to 6 PM
April 27: Parent/Teacher conferences from 8 AM to 12 PM

Until our paths cross, please take good care, and remember, Middle School Students matter!! May peace be upon you.

Hello parents, and greetings to you from the UAS Middle School!!! WOOHOO!!

I sincerely hope you and your family enjoyed a marvelous spring break – I certainly did! In addition, here’s hoping you and your student managed to rest, relax and rejuvenate!

Please note the registration for the winter term after school activities are ending soon, and that the following information was recently sent to all middle and elementary school parents.

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Reminder: Winter Term ASA Sign-ups Ending Soon!

Dear Parents,

After School Activities (ASA) Registration for middle and elementary school students is still open on the UAS Parent Portal. If you are planning on registering your child in any of the activities, kindly take note of the information below. Registration and payment must be made by April 17.

Please note these important dates:

Spring ASA Term: April 23 – May 24, 2017

Spring ASA Registration Deadline: April 13, 2017

Spring ASA Payment Due Date: April 17, 2017

Parent Registration Confirmations Sent Home: April 18, 2017

You can find detailed descriptions of the Middle School ASA activities here.

Please follow the steps below to register your child for an ASA activity:

Log on to your parent portal page.

Follow the link to view the descriptions and choose the ASA Activity

After submitting the form, you will receive an immediate confirmation email that you have requested to register your child for an activity.

If you register your child for a paid activity, kindly pay accounts promptly and bring your receipt to the elementary or middle school office.

Please note that the registrations for paid ASA activities is not complete until full payment is made, and that without payment by the above deadline, ASA assignments will be given to other children.

Please provide the activity title, code, full name of your child and grade when making payment at the account department or by bank transfer.

Please note that spaces are limited in some activities and enrollment will be on a first-come-first-served basis.